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Power Levels
When it comes to fantasy and creating fictional characters that interact together and potentially engage in combat, it eventually became necessary to have a classification system for how powerful a character was. Normal humans fighting creatures capable of destroying a planet with a snap of their finger would not really promote the most healthiest environment. Somewhere along the line, someone created a power classification system for combat. This system evolved into a handy tool for moderating role play groups, easily giving possible members an idea of how strong to make their characters and what to expect in the group. I have yet to find the original descriptions of power classes so these are general guidelines. RM- Realistic Melee Realistic Melee is purely human. They have no special abilities outside of the limitations of humanity. They are forced to follow all the rules that we as humans have to follow in our day to day lives. While these abilities include things like strength, speed, maneuverability and physical aspects of humanity, they also encompass mental capabilities as well. If your human character is 15 years old, it is not humanly possible for him to have mastered 36 fighting styles. When it comes to realistic melee, realism is expected. Yes, Usain Bolt can run at ridiculously fast, almost inhuman speeds. However, Bolt also spent his entire life training to run that fast and follows a strict training regime. So it is possible for a human to run 27 mph, but the right conditions have to be met. A lot of people often times forget the word Melee in the description of power levels. While you can create a completely, ordinary human because of the technology he uses, he will not fit into the RM category. Melee refers to hand held weapons you would find in a melee bout, like swords, shields, maces and the likes. Think the power of a weapon found in an old school, gladiator bout. If your character surpasses that amount of power with the aid of technology, then they do not belong in realistic melee. UM- Unrealistic Melee When it comes to Unrealistic Melee, it is a bit more grey to define than black and white. Characters that fall into UM are mostly human, with some perks. Creatures such as traditional vampires, werewolves, witches and the likes fall into the UM classification. I personally tend to use a scale based on the potential damage of one attack. If one can knock down a building in an attack then they likely fall under UM. However, not all powers are physically destructive in nature so things can get a bit tricky when trying to determine your character’s power. If your character primarily fights with illusions, then they obviously are not knocking down a building. Instead, you tend to just have to figure out a comparison for your character’s unique abilities. Essentially, UM is the level directly above human and has some magical attributes or super powers, but they are not capable of massive amounts of damage. Am I doing more damage than a vampire with a sword would do, a werewolf with a mace? This is the type of power in the UM level. MP- Moderate Power Moderate Powered characters pack a bit more punch than their UM brethren. Often times, they have for more intricate magic abilities and are able to damage on a large scale, think eliminating a town or large area in one attack. This power level is commonplace within anime (naruto/bleach/one piece) and superheroes for the bulk of the characters. Alas, most of these genres also have main characters or villains that exceed the limitations of MP. It can be very hazy trying to draw a line between MP and PC characters. If you focus more on the word moderate and less on the power part, chances are you will be alright. PC- Powered Character Powered Characters are the top of the scale. These are your ultimate, cosmic beings. Essentially, they possess powers to such an extent that they could wipe out a planet. Thanos, snapping his finger and half the population vanishing is a PC character. Outside of a PC environment, these characters can come off as godly or illegal if one is unfamiliar with the level or they are not utilized right. Notes Power levels in role play can be a very frustrating subject. What one person views as perfectly acceptable another might find to be overpowered. A lot of characters tend to fall into a middle ground or borderline between the levels. My best advice, if you are unsure what class of power your character has… always classify it to the higher one. If you aren’t sure if it is a UM or MP, go with MP. It is always better to be a bit weaker in the power class than it is to be too strong. Another thing that needs mentioned is that a character is not stuck at one power level. A character is on a journey and during that journey, things happen. Sometimes, your character will get stronger and sometimes they will get weaker. If your RM character gets bit by a vampire and turns, they are now UM. It is also possible to tweak your character a bit and adjust them. Some people deliberately make a borderline character so that they are easily able to adjust them to fit the role play they are joining or the spar they are about to have, even going as far as to have two bios for the character.